Solitude Winter
by MakeMeYou
Summary: Yuki, a weak demonic hybrid runs away from hell to escape exile. He trespasses the celestial realm and he meets the winter deity Reiga with the help of the spring deity's suggestion. The unusual and winter deity who treats everything with a hint of contempt soon becomes fond of Yuki. Yuki is purified into being a bud that Reiga shall cultivate to its fullest. AU/OOC (revamp of LI)


**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters used in this story! **

**Well, Lonely Ice is receiving a makeover, completely...from top to bottom. Reiga will be...and Yuki will be...everything will be...changed! Not all straight up fluffy and PG (wavering on this part)! I read my own story after I took a break from typing anything at all and I thought it was absolutely horrendous. **

**I'm still hooked on KanataxYuki because they are the only couple that I rooted for in the series. Yuki is the only person that Kanata has. It's just really tragic! **

***Sigh*, we all know that he will not be allowed to live with Yuki and fulfill their future dream together. Did I bitch about this before? I don't recall...**

**...LET'S COME AS TRUE BROS! HYYAAAHHH! (Reference to Jake and Finn do some stuff...)**

* * *

Chapter 1

"Please let me go!" A wail echoed through the spacious corridors of the regal celestial temple. It came from a child, struggling and being unruly to the restraints of the celestial guards. The elder inspected the child; his rags only covered half of the scorched markings on his body.

"Silence! You had the audacity to trespass the celestial realm when you should have remained in your demonic realm instead." The elder huffed.

"I-I didn't mean to! It's just that..." The child's head drooped down to his chest. He could not convey his reasons, his eyes flared in shame and sorrow.

"You're a discarded son of the demon king..." The elder finished. He sighed, impervious by this fact and just nodded. The child grew anxious as the elder continued. "So young too...he would usually abandon them to the nether realm when they are at least in their adult years...so you escaped before he was able to sentence you to your exile..."

"How did you know?" The child asked, tears welling up in his lime hued eyes.

"The royal crest of a half-bred marked on your body is very different and conspicuous. You are a weak hybrid with a meek demonic presence." The elder said unaware of himself insulting the child.

"Perhaps you should allow the winter deity to have him," A female with dark long hair decorated with exquisite blossoms suggested she was the spring deity; the grace of her presence was winsome and immaculate. The elder furrowed his eyebrows at the suggestion.

"I don't know...if we should push this child onto him..." The elder had a concerned look. The child felt a wheel in his stomach just churn even harder suddenly.

"Now, I'm sure Reiga definitely wouldn't mind..." The spring deity said with an affable smile. "It's definitely better than the place you were planning to send him off to."

The elder took a brief amount of time to consider the option.

"All right then, lead that child to him," The elder ordered the two guards.

The child felt his feet lighten as the two guards used their magic to lift him, his feet and arms bound by the divine chains, he was completely immobilized. The scenery before the child's eyes changed.

There was a dark blue portal circulating underneath a stairway. Its surroundings were adorned by tall icicles and a snowy ground. The child shivered from the frigidness that pierced his skin, even the unwavering celestial guards had a bruised expression as puffs of smoke excrete out from their mouths.

The guards sent the child through the portal and soon the place flashed into a new realm that was completely covered in white. It was snowing gently and the trees stripped of their leaves, only remnants of snow covered their naked bark and branches.

The child felt his arms and legs being liberated from the divine restraints. He rectified his posture and scanned the pathless realm. It was lonely and idyllic. Somehow, the tranquil scenery offered a very frightening chill to his bones; the blinding white compared to the infernal colors that covered the gloomy demonic realm was foreign to the child.

He did not know which one of these realms he preferred more, a completely devoid realm or a realm stained by sin.

However, the white picture was soon colored by an unusual speck of black which appeared far away from the child. It was small, but stuck out like a sore thumb in the glum painting.

Suddenly strong winds blew the fallen snow and it sprayed on him like giant fishes emerging from the waters and splashing violently resulting in a wild trail of stray waters that resembled minor tidal waves.

The black speck got closer as his eyelashes were being clouded by more snowflakes that he was unable to blink away in time. The child's eye hairs kept on holding onto snow's children and he was forced to rub the melting flakes from his lashes. Soon the speck of blackness had transformed into a tall man standing directly in front of him.

"Hah...so it's you...Yomi is deciding things for me as always...disregarding my strong censures for strangers." The man sighed heavily and leaned down to have a closer look with his one free eye. His whole body was constricted by long strips of white bandages like an arduous practice.

The child stunned by the man's raiment and the limited proximity between him and this superior celestial being was slowly oppressing his inferior presence.

"Are you..." The child began feeling the tingles of vertigo for a moment as he met the single dark pupil surrounded by the silver iris that glared keenly at his dull lime eyes.

"Reiga, the winter deity," He slid a finger across the bare spots on the child's chest and frowned with disdain. He grabbed hold of the wrist of the child and pulled the youth towards him. They were surrounded by a thick fog and transported into a place that appeared to be the living quarters of this winter deity.

The winter deity dragged the child towards the frozen pond.

Reiga threw the child into it. The ice shattered as the child met the hard surface of the solidified liquid. The ice melted within seconds and what cushioned Yuki's fall were the freezing waters.

"Ngh..." The child groaned from the impact. He saw Reiga descend from the higher platform and stepped on top of the pond, his steps freezing the water beneath him. He had a deep unsatisfied expression.

"Your name, child?" Reiga inquired. The boy floated on the water without much effort on his part as if the liquid itself possessed a life of its own. Within a few seconds he felt his body sting and numb at the same time. However, a new sensation coursed through his body.

"Y-y-y-Yuki!" The boy yelped. He was in immense pain. His body felt the whirling of the cold water eating his body, his marks were being frozen. He could almost feel the desire to scream, to just die from this. Reiga watched with indifference.

After the pain had affected Yuki for more than a few minutes, Reiga lifted the boy up. He examined the markings and soon he ripped apart the remaining rags that covered the other parts of his body.

Yuki was stagnant like a corpse. He twitched when Reiga touched the markings that were left unaffected by the waters which was located on the stomach and some on the inner thighs. Reiga would expunge them personally.

He carried the boy into his threshold, dark pillars supported the structure and everywhere there was a long ethereal white cloth billowing against the winter winds.

Yuki felt like he was running on the wheel of fate, his view spinning continuously, letting the wheel determine what will happen to him next.

His limp body was lying on the ceremonial bed.

Reiga smirked to himself as he saw the demonic parasite squirm its way out of Yuki's chest. He grabbed hold of it and stared at the disgusting black sin squirm underneath the superior grip. Reiga squeezed it tighter and the parasite was glazed over by thick ice. He shattered it with a final squeeze and watched Yuki's demonic essence spray out of his body. He saw white essence crawl out with the black demonic essence. So his mother was either a human or a celestial deity.

How was that possible? Abduction? Clandestine philandering?

Reiga wasn't sure if he should report this, but he did not like the celestial council already and all the other deities. The council restrained everyone from having the liberty to move away from the celestial realm unlike the demons which were granted the freedom to walk amongst the humans as long as they did not interfere with the natural cycle and fate of life and death.

He disliked the faux countenance that his fellow celestial deities when they were around him. He had been betrayed before and that tarnished the laughable bonds between him and the other seasonal deities.

"Who is your mother?" Reiga asked. He was close to lying on top of the boy who was trying to collect his vision. The feeling of the cold pale silk numbed Yuki from the gifted discomfort.

"I...I don't know..." Yuki huffed out before giving up. He closed his eyes. "She disappeared after she gave birth to me, at least that's what my father told me when I was a bit older...but I just know that I'm a weak version of a half-bred." Yuki felt cold fingers slide down his stomach. Reiga covered Yuki's eyes with his hand. He tugged gently at his own bandages that concealed his left eye.

Yuki felt emollient licks graze his skin, it was a sensation he was most familiar with. Warmth.

There were bandages that covered his eyes instead of Reiga's hand.

"W-what a-are you doing?" Yuki couldn't move his limbs; they were restricted to the bed.

"Sh, this is the last step to discarding that demonic essence inside your body. This will only hurt a bit and...I will be enjoying this...a lot." Reiga whispered the sadistic chunk.

It was true that whatever Reiga did, had stung him like a million needles digging deep into his flesh like he didn't get enough pain from this ordeal. His legs shook like an electric shock ran in them. His stomach felt like it was digesting fire leaving his chest to squirm in terror.

Reiga pressed his fingers onto the fragile skin of the boy and twisted them. He watched Yuki's face contort and his lips quivering. Yuki's body was wrapped in a tingly chill now. He let out a small gasp. Reiga moved his fingers down to the thighs and parted Yuki's legs a bit; ignoring his genital like it didn't exist. He pressed his palm onto the marked thigh and repeated this action on the other one.

"Now relax, if you're fortunate you'll lose consciousness, if you're not...you'll continue to feel a lot of pain until you do faint." Reiga said. His voice stood monotonous without compassion as its thorn.

Yuki braced himself and soon that electric tingle that had spread throughout his body had grown into a thunderbolt. He gripped tightly onto the sheets and anticipated the pain to come again...

It did come, it was hot and cold. His stomach and thighs quaked with tremors of agony. He fainted and the sound of slurping echoed in his ears. What was the winter deity doing?

* * *

"Can't you be a bit gentler with the boy?" Reiga avoided the demanding eye-contact with the spring deity.

"Forcing him upon me, you shouldn't think I would treat him with the kindness of spring and receive any pleasure from it." The spring deity furrowed her refined eyebrows and at that moment she matched the concerned mother part.

"Doesn't matter, being gentle has a worldly meaning!" She exclaimed.

"Don't worry; I have my own ways of treating him with kindness." Reiga said in a slightly mocking tone that incited Yomi's flare even more. He suddenly had a strange grin that was torn between a hostile grit of the teeth. Yomi flinched, Reiga was an eerie enigma.

"Just please," Yomi bowed, her anger was still visible in her tone, but out of deference she didn't lash out at him.

"Go back to Takashiro. As long as he's alive, you don't need to be too concerned about his well-being." Reiga's right eye flashed a demeaning glare. His grin dissipated which caused Yomi to waver in fright. She clenched her hands into a fist and looked like she was about to strike at Reiga, but instead she offered a cherry blossom branch. She closed her eyes and bowed one last time before taking her leave.

"Don't freeze it, at least let the boy have it..." Yomi said with a sentimental tone. Why was she being especially kind to Yuki? Reiga didn't say anything in return. He simply stood there and watched the spring deity meld with the snow.

Reiga was beginning to wonder if Yomi was really entangled in this web personally.

When winter disappears, spring would overtake it. Reiga took a brief look at the branch decorated with pink organisms and something inside him flickered with a nostalgic sensation.

If only he wasn't so bitter and bitten then maybe...

The beauty of the spring deity could be his. He did possess an ephemeral infatuation for the deity a long time ago. That time had passed and Reiga viewed the deity with a platonic light, but it was mixed with a slightly grudging darkness.

* * *

"For you," Reiga placed the branch next to Yuki. He had covered Yuki with a duvet.

"...Thank you," Yuki couldn't get up, his strength was drained. His breath was shallow and his complexion paler than an apparition. He must've been unconscious for a while.

"It's not from me, it's from Yomi. She's the spring deity that saved you from being locked away in the nether realm." Reiga said. He saw Yuki's body curl up a bit from the sound of her name coming out of his mouth.

"Then please thank her for me...for everything." Yuki sighed softly. They both didn't speak for a while and Yuki was preparing to ask the protruding question in his mind. "What am I now?" It came out weaker than a whisper, but Reiga was still able to hear it.

"You're a mere bud, soon you'll blossom and be like the rest of the citizens in the realm, a celestial being," Reiga said. Yuki stole a glance at Reiga and felt his cheeks flush with the familiar anxious feeling that churned in his stomach like the first time he entered the celestial realm. There was also something added on underneath this anxiety.

"But if they sent you to me, I believe they have something even greater in store for you." Reiga said. Yuki wondered what it was. He tried to wait for the next words that would come out of the winter deity. However, the awkward tension was overbearing.

Reiga was wrapped up like usual. His hair was neat and short, dark like the sad gray sky in this winter realm. However, his features were graced by a bitter and apathetic feeling towards the world. When he sat there with no expression on, Yuki was furtively staring at him. He was trying to figure out if the deity had his own layers of emotions.

"...Um..." Yuki stared at the branch. The very presence of Reiga and his dazed gaze combined, turned on all of his senses.

Reiga turned his full attention towards Yuki who seemed extremely pink on the cheeks. Reiga cocked an eyebrow at the sight and leaned down onto the boy.

"You want to know?" Reiga whispered into Yuki's ear. The boy's leg jerked out at the chilly breath touching his ear.

"A-about w-what?" Yuki turned towards Reiga slightly.

"What made those markings go away...it was..." Reiga slipped a hand underneath the blanket where Yuki was still naked. Reiga found the correct spots where he performed his personal care. He touched Yuki's stomach and then his hand slid down his thighs.

Reiga lifted the obscuring material for Yuki to see. The boy was practically gaping. His skin was no longer kissed by the markings. However, Yuki wasn't paying mind to that instead it was the sight of Reiga's hand touching places that were much more intimate to him which was blurring his attention.

He squeezed his eyes shut, feeling the cold fingers and the cool mist from Reiga's mouth brush across his skin.

"Was me of course," Reiga said. He smiled furtively at the flustered boy. "Do you want to see it and experience it again? Without pain this time..." Reiga said. Yuki shifted uncomfortably underneath his suggestive touch.

Yuki sucked in a breath and turned his head to answer, but Reiga beat him to it. "I was just jesting," Reiga erased the close proximity he preserved for a brief moment.

Yuki blinked and dug his head away from Reiga. The winter deity left Yuki and commenced with his assigned duties, leaving the bud alone.

* * *

The next seven days passed and Reiga had consumed the whole realm with an even sadder grey.

Yuki shivered when the nights turned black, Reiga didn't come back yet.

Yuki was still trying to get used to this foreign sight blessed on his body when he peered down at it occasionally to reassure him that all of this was real.

Yuki wondered whether he should've trespassed into the celestial realms or stuck around in hell and become a slave or a lackey to a higher ranking demon. Then perhaps he could root of from there, but that would be impossible, demons were judgmental and they were harsh towards weak hybrids like him, rarely showing any mercy or affection towards them.

Except for...

Yuki recalled the image of his half-brother. He was a pale skinned demon; half-bred like himself, but his mother was a powerful and beautiful succubus. He was adept in utilizing dark magic and the presence of him signed him off as the next heir to the grand throne. His half-brother had a twin, but it was clear that they were quite different in desires. One would protect the other; Yuki envied them and their bond even if they didn't like each other due to the constant juxtaposing they had to face which created a chasm filled with animosity.

Yuki interacted with them both before, but he was on friendlier terms with the brother who was going to ascend the throne when he reached his peak potential.

Now that he was trapped here, he would never get to see him or the day when he would climb that ladder to being the next king and hopefully be a better one than his frivolous father. Despite everything, Yuki couldn't bring himself to hate his father.

Yuki smiled to himself in the dark room as he reminisced in the not so distant memories. He wonders if he remembers him...or he became defunct in his pages.

A sharp wind whistle echoed through Yuki's ear. Suddenly, he wondered if Reiga remembered he existed too.

As a matter of fact, Reiga remembered plenty about Yuki. He was dealing with a special demon boy who came to the borders of the celestial realm just for the abandoned Yuki.

"Please, leave him in my care," Reiga frowned at the candid demon boy.

"Unfortunately, your father doesn't desire his presence in your cursed realm." Reiga replied.

"He will be abdicating his throne to me soon and if…"

"Soon? I sense that you're still an incapable fledgling though."

"It's true that I have not reached the zenith of my potential, but I'm willing to protect Yuki within the last essence of my life."

"If you want him to return with you so badly then I'll make you a deal..." Reiga said slightly acknowledging the obdurate determination in this demon boy.

"What is it?"

* * *

Yuki opened his eyes and saw light, the promise of day. The sky was no longer obscured by lachrymose clouds and hues. However, there was no haughty sun to shine upon the white snow, it was covered by clouds and only strings of light leaked through.

Reiga sat on the edge of the bed with a passive expression. It was hard to tell what he was thinking about. However, Yuki couldn't conceal the fact that he was elated to see him.

A smile was ready to tell a million positive emotions and Reiga relished the sight even though he did not return the smile. Yuki was a love starved creature...Reiga on the other hand was lacking the love to fill the boy's empty cup.

Yomi had coaxed him into spending time with cultivating this bud. So, in order to appease the nagging spring deity, he complied with her request.

He wasn't sure how elaborate his plan should be, so he went with the flow.

"You've been trapped in here for long enough," Reiga said. He took hold of the blanket that kept Yuki warm for days he was not present and flung it off the bed leaving Yuki naked. The child quickly covered himself with his knees. He looked away nervously from Reiga's inspecting gaze. He pulled the boy towards him and he led him into the cold outdoors. Yuki wasn't sure what was happening, but when the frigid winds hit him he shivered violently.

Reiga scooped up some snow and flicked it away. He came back with a white robe for Yuki to wear. The youth took it hesitantly. He was fascinated at how this article of clothing suddenly materialized from the small white substance.

"Wear it before you freeze," Reiga said. Yuki followed and instantly felt warmth hug his body when his nakedness was no longer exposed.

"T-thank you..." Yuki shot a timid glance towards Reiga. He just nodded as acknowledgement to his gratitude. He walked off towards a direction and Yuki followed like a faithful companion. He thought they were walking in circles and in that dreaded silence that made Yuki worry.

However, Reiga had led them to the portal that connected his realm to the rest of the celestial realm.

"Come," Reiga urged, Yuki quickened his pace whilst trying to trudge through the snow without keeling over.

They exited the realm and entered the airy environment. It looked a lot more pleasant than his first time coming into this place. Lush hues painted the skies. A mix of leaves and waters that reflected the healthy sky cushioned their feet. The seasons overlapped in the celestial realm. Leaves that were affected by autumn's kisses mixed with the vibrant summer leaves and spring's pink magnolias. Flowers and weeds blossomed underneath rocks covered with snow. There were the many trees that stood tall and proud blessed by summer's grace.

Yuki blinked. The smell of the mixed seasons was aromatic. He walked off unconsciously and the alien desire to explore was prominent. Reiga allowed Yuki to satiate his curiosity. He scanned the realm; he didn't want to bump into the other deities. Reiga sat on a rock and watched Yuki running wildly. He closed his eyes, his energy melting a bit as he felt something radiate with extreme heat.

Summer.

"Ah..." Reiga instantly stood up and faced the summer deity, Takashiro who stood with his radiance and adorned with his imperialistic garbs had nodded at Reiga in greeting. "I heard from Yomi that you're taking care of the whelp from hell." Takashiro said. He sat next to where Reiga was standing.

"Yes, I am." Reiga said.

"Why don't you sit with me?" Takashiro asked, he had a small smile.

"Why should I?" Takashiro's smile grew; he knew the answer would always be the same as long as it involves him. He couldn't understand why Yomi would associate herself with the winter deity knowing how foul his temper can be sometimes. Perhaps it was the eventual guilt that ate her as she melted away winter's beauty and replaced it with her blessings for spring to take its stage. Of course, Takashiro knew it was something else and he was not apologetic for it either.

Takashiro watched Reiga's form meld into the chaotic environment that fitted Reiga for some reason as he joined Yuki.

The two looked like white moths that found their paradise.

"Yuki, let's go," Reiga said when he caught up with the youth. Yuki stopped examining the bark of a tree and followed the winter deity complacently.

"Where to?" He asked. Reiga appeared to be in a negative mood. He didn't show it, but his aura sparked that notion.

"Somewhere, anywhere but here." Reiga answered curtly. He took hold of Yuki's hand and together they disappeared from the season mayhem. In a blink of an eye, Yuki saw several roaring cataracts. There were women with their hair adorned with blossoms like the spring deity. There were also women with hair weaved with green or red leaves and branches that stuck out of their hair or curled together in a laurel like shape. They all talked amongst themselves and didn't seem to take notice of the two until Reiga took a step forward.

They all froze like Reiga had cast a spell on them. Their eyes were wide with surprise and a hint of fear showed through their dilated pupils. Yuki was growing tense under all the attention and it was definitely not giving him the amicable vibe. Reiga ignored them and continued to lead Yuki towards their destination which was a view of the celestial buildings and beings who inhabited them.

"Every side has a community. I'm certain that hell has one as well." Yuki nodded at the statement. However, there seemed to be a more tranquility bound within the celestial citizens. There was always something hurting or angry when he was treading through hell's community. The streets would always be littered by overseers and fighting occurred constantly over trivial matters because hell lacked a certain harmony that the celestial realm possessed.

The two stood in silence and observed the tiny buildings, some of them moved. Yuki squinted and saw they were carried by huge turtles. It was just like hell, but instead of turtles they were carried by huge roaches or if it was a system of buildings they would be moved by centipedes.

"Um...those..." Yuki began, but Reiga interrupted.

"They're season nymphs. Every season deity have their own group." Reiga pointed towards the direction of the cataracts which they had distanced themselves a good proximity. Yuki blinked in amazement, he knew exactly where his curiosity lied. "My snow nymphs don't entertain themselves around such warm places."

"I see..." Yuki said.

Reiga was like a pariah, but Yuki didn't mind.

He stared intently at the scenery and tears formed at the corner of his eyes. He wasn't sure what the cause was, perhaps it was the wind that blew against his face.

Reiga bent over the crouching boy and joined the viewing.

They stayed there for a while and didn't go back until the night cloak had cast its veil over the realm.

The next day, Reiga left Yuki alone for the whole day, but come next day he came back to take the boy to new parts of the celestial realm. Yuki was growing to love this side of the world, but he couldn't understand why Reiga would always wear an expression of contempt and disdain sometimes when he introduced Yuki to the new places.

Reiga continued his quest in taking Yuki sightseeing with reason. It was because of Takashiro's taunting presence and the threat he heard from the deity had sparked his desire to keep the boy by his side. The two deities shared a long hostile history that died, but left a trivial marks behind.

He just couldn't lose to him! But there was still that demon boy who he had made a deal with...

Reiga was confident that he would be the winner.

* * *

Reiga beckoned Yuki over to him. The boy was hesitant, but he obeyed without protest. This was the first time Reiga had decided to spend the night with him before he caught his rest. Reiga stroked Yuki's head gently and slowly his hand slid to the side of his neck that permeated heat underneath his hand. Yuki stiffened from the contact. His eyes fluttered from the obscured passion that started to rise underneath the fingertips of Reiga.

"Would you like to become a human?" Reiga asked. His expression mellowed out like ice to fresh soft snow. Yuki blinked, Reiga thought it was an offer that he would take, but to Yuki it sounded like this deity wanted to throw out his existence like his father did.

"N-no!" Yuki replied without a second thought.

Reiga was surprised. "Why not? Being here is mundane and we all live like caged birds, or at least that's how I feel." Reiga sighed. He put a hand to his bandaged eye and slowly found the spot to undo all his bindings. His long starry hair started to consume the bed and Yuki sat there to marvel the sight.

"You see how archaic I am? I've been here ever since the last winter deity committed a sin and was exiled from the realm. The former winter deity just couldn't withstand the things that had been viewed to the eyes. Winter is unlike the other seasons, it's a season of sorrow..." Reiga said. His dim silver eyes were hazy, Yuki suddenly saw Reiga in the light that he was seeking throughout these previous days.

He took one of Reiga's hands and curled his dainty fingers around the pale hand. He felt goosebumps covering his arm as he a chill pass through him from Reiga.

"W-winter is not the season of sorrow! It's the season of slumber and salvation," Yuki said. He had an adamant glaze over his ingenuous gaze.

"Salvation?" Reiga remembered that's what Yomi had said before, but her words didn't struck him as genuine because spring would always eat away winter.

He also recalled what the former winter deity had told him. Summer was the zenith of the seasons, spring was the renewal, fall was the downfall, and winter was the requiem. It bothered Reiga at first when he learned of this, but time had made him forget and not care. He was merciless with the darkness he plagued on the short days on earth. The former deity had a tender heart and that's why the deity attempted to escape to the human realm.

Now, here Yuki was saying his season was a season of salvation and slumber...it brought him a tint of happiness on his cloudy window.

"Where did you retrieve such a pleasant idea without knowing the other seasons?" Reiga asked.

"I...your pond showed me..." Yuki said with a slight blush from a mix of embarrassment and shame. He did steal glimpses of the pond when Reiga was away for a certain amount of time and the frozen pond was not timid with its duty of enlightening Yuki the life which Reiga admired and envied so deeply.

"So, you found out my pond is actually a mirror to the middle world." Yuki nodded slowly and shrugged at the same time. Reiga cocked an eyebrow at Yuki. "Humans are such fragile beings, but they're so beautifully strong. They climb to their zenith and fall down slowly, but surely. Unlike us who are trapped at our zenith and never experiencing downfall until we are banished from this place. But even then we never taste it and are tortured by being immortals. Being a human seems nice, being able to rest in peace and only the souls being reaped to their proper places."

"I-I don't know much about being a deity or a human, but there are so many things you can still do and time is a luxury to you. Humans are always pressed for time, they are always rushing to their destination. Their desires are ardent and strong, they want to reach their zenith, but some of them just don't have enough time to be at ease. Their movements are always filled with anxiety and impatience."

"Very observant of you, but have you seen how winter makes everyone recoil? The cold makes them wither. The hapless ones even die from it. Everything that has reached their zenith dies...they no longer breath with their built life." Reiga's eyes trickled with sadness.

"Life always reincarnate," Yuki said ardently. He had a sanguine smile.

"That's true..." Reiga admitted. His eyes no longer held that sorrow.

"Embrace the life that's given to you...even if you're deity, a duty was given to you and it's only better to fill it with happiness and not hatred." Yuki said cheerfully. He withdrew himself a bit, abashed by what he just said. But Reiga saved his grace and ruffled Yuki's tan hair. Reiga released a low chuckle that was fleeting. Somehow it rumbled inside of Yuki like the powerful cataracts that had those exquisite ladies surrounding it.

"However..." Reiga began, but Yuki interrupted him acutely.

"I-I won't leave you!" Yuki blurted. He stared intensely at Reiga's unmoving hand which suddenly grasped onto his. Yuki felt passion rise in his cheeks. Passion that Reiga lacked for many celestial years. He wanted to alleviate those wrinkles of time that often reaped him no rewards for his duty and by now he thought his time was devoid of any joy. Perhaps, Yuki was the solution to his hollow feelings.

Reiga smiled out of the blue. He had won this little deal that he made with that demon boy.

Yuki had chosen him.

Reiga did feel quite jovial inside.

* * *

"Hah? You want to train that child into a winter disciple and perhaps a second deity?" The elder asked in disbelief. He stroked the long hoary beard that his ancient visage provided. He shook his head slowly in obvious disapproval. But he was still considering the possibility.

"Didn't you agree in leaving him in my complete care? Now I need your word to prevent anything from stopping me from doing something that would benefit the gentle world in the middle. I also want to cultivate this bud to his max potential." Reiga said. The elder cast a worried look at the winter deity.

"He's still a half-blood though, there will obviously be some qualms," The elder said.

"I purified him and even if he still is a half-blood, I will perform a thorough purification if required." Reiga said hesitantly. The elder raised an eyebrow at him. He coughed into the cup of his fist before expressing his concern about the child.

"I'm anxious for that child, do you really think you can refrain from damaging that child any further? He is a hybrid from hell, but he is not a seed of evil."

Reiga nodded. The elder sighed in return. "Then proceed," The elder said. "And do be gentle with a child like him."

"You don't have to tell me twice." Reiga said. "Besides, he won't always be a child."

* * *

**That's it for now peeps! This is really different from Lonely Ice, even though it was supposed to be a makeover. It has a completely different structure to it compared to the fluffy mess I made out due to the sheer fangirling over them when I was first introduced to the fandom. **


End file.
